Hope
by WingofWonder
Summary: After a random battle in the snow-covered lands, Tear begins to renew her faith in Luke. Set after Akzeriuth. Please read and enjoy.


**Hope**

Characters: Luke / Tear friendship

Story type: Short Oneshot, and my first fanfic ever

After a random battle in the snow-covered lands, Tear begins to renew her faith in Luke. Set after Akzeriuth.

Please read and enjoy. Any kinds of comments welcome.

Disclaimer: Characters, setting, etc. don't belong to me. I get no profit from this story.

* * *

The battlefield, dyed red with blood. Their enemies' and their own, mingled together to stain the pure white snow.

Luke wearily dodged another blow from a wolf, and struck it back with his sword. He was getting better at fighting, but the constant journeying and battling was wearing him down. Not to mention the fact that they had just been ambushed by an entire pack of wolves while resting from a taxing battle.

"Luke!" He could recognize that tone of Jade's voice. The boy finally noticed the markings of an Arte on the ground, and hurriedly took a step backwards. Ice shards exploded in the area before him, thanks to the colonel's incantation. Guy rushed in before the fonons could disperse and struck the battered wolves with his Frigid Moon.

Gentle warmth covered Luke's body. After sending a quick smile of gratitude to Natalia, he saw Anise and Tokunaga in the midst of more wolves. He rushed back into the fray.

After a few slices and thrusts of his blade, dancing back and forth to dodge and then counterattack the wolves, one of them caught on to his game and slammed into him hard. Luke felt pain as sharp teeth dug into his torso. He quickly impaled the wolf. An arrow barrage from Natalia saved him from further attacks as he struggled to get up.

"Don't move!" Natalia shouted to him. She rushed over and concentrated. Healing light poured from her hands. After ordering Luke once again to stay put, she hurried back to help Anise.

It was then that Luke noticed that something...no, someone was missing. Each of them had been too surprised when the attack came, and too preoccupied with their own fighting that they hadn't noticed...

Where was Tear?

The red-haired youth quickly looked around. There she was, quite a distance away from the others. Circled on all sides by wolves, and possibly injured. She must have been attacked while collecting firewood for their campfire. He shifted his gaze down to his wound. He knew his limits by now; He couldn't make it alone.

Anise was still surrounded, and Natalia was helping her. Guy had collected his share of scratches and bruises. The colonel, apart from a slight weariness, seemed to be his usual self.

"Jade!" Luke called with a note of urgency. He pointed to the wolves surrounding Tear. Then, without even waiting for an answer, he got up and started running. The boy ignored his comrades' shouts and headed straight to the melodist. He clumsily batted the wolves away with his sword. Their furry bodies fell upon him in an instant, teeth bared, prepared to tear him apart.

"Howl O raging wind and cleave mine enemies with your blade! Turbulence!" Luke barely heard Jade's voice as the wolves around him were blown away by razor-sharp winds and torn apart. He could only remember calling out to Tear, and the pain in his body, and the world getting darker and darker.

He remembered falling to the ground. Then, he remembered no more.

* * *

Luke slowly opened his eyes. A small fire lit the campsite where he lay. More importantly,  
Tear was tending to his wounds.

"Tear!" Luke sat up before being pushed down gently.

"You should rest, for now," A gentle order from Tear. Luke obeyed, if only for the pain coursing through his body. Nevertheless, he was still worried. Tear had bandages tied around her arms, and who knows how many more under her clothes.

"Luke, I know that you were worried about Tear, but that was too dangerous," Guy walked in, speaking quietly as Anise and Natalia were sleeping, worn out from today's adventure. "You could have waited for me. We are a team, aren't we?"

Luke smiled sheepishly, and asked "What happened?" He instantly broke into a fit of coughing.

"Well, you didn't think before you act, and charged right in the middle of a pack of wolves," Jade said coldly. "So it should be fairly obvious why you're lying there."

"Don't be so hard on him, Jade" Guy spoke up. "At least he called you before rushing to Tear. Anyway, Luke and Tear both need their rest right now," With some difficulty, he managed to drag Jade away from the two.

There was silence for a few moments. Then--

"Luke, what you did was very stupid. You could have been killed," Tear scolded the redhead.

"But I... I was worried. About...you," Luke prepared himself for another reprimand, but to his surprise,  
Tear was quiet.

"I guess.... thanks, Luke. For coming to help. Even in your own foolish way..."

Luke grinned abashedly in return.

"Anyway, Guy is right. You need your sleep." Tear moved away from the youth.

"Wait... I... I don't want anyone to get hurt again. I'll stand guard tonight. You must be tired too, getting hurt, and then taking care of me and all..."

"Don't worry about me. I think Guy and Jade will take guard duty for the night," Luke saw a rare smile from Tear as she began to sing him to sleep.

* * *

Tear walked away from the sleeping youth, and settled down in her sleeping bag. Watching Guy and Jade bicker quietly near the fire, she turned her gaze back to Luke.

"...Maybe... I can have hopes for you after all... Maybe ... you really can change..."


End file.
